Lzh Dg Bu Vb Ay 1First Undetermined Offence

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– UNDETERMINED OFFENCES

1. FIRST OFFENCE

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Blessed One was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika's park, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Sāvatthī. At that time, Kāḷudāyī, when he was still a layman, had a friend whose wife was named Sujātā, an upāsikā of beautiful appearance. Kāḷudāyī was also of handsome appearance. Kāḷudāyī was attracted to Sujātā, and Sujātā was likewise attracted to Kāḷudāyī.

Kāḷudāyī, at the proper time, put on his robe, took his bowl, and went to the house of Sujātā. The two sat together in a secluded place.

While Kāḷudāyī and Sujātā were speaking together, Visākhā Mātā had some business that brought her there. From a distance, Visākhā heard the voice of Kāḷudāyī. This upāsikā, being devoted to the Dharma, heard the voice of a bhikkhu coming from inside and thought: "Perhaps the bhikkhu is teaching the Dharma." She therefore went and stood by the wall to listen.

But she heard only words that were contrary to the Dharma. Visākhā then thought: "I hear the voice of a bhikkhu, yet he is speaking of improper matters. A bhikkhu should not speak such words!" She looked through a small opening and saw Kāḷudāyī and Sujātā sitting together on a bed speaking of improper matters.

Upon seeing this, Visākhā Mātā thought: "This bhikkhu is sitting in an improper place and speaking improper words. If this woman's husband were to see this, he would rebuke his wife and give rise to a lack of faith." Thereupon, Visākhā Mātā, the upāsikā, left that house and quickly went to the Blessed One. She paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, stood to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full.

Having made her report to the Blessed One, she paid homage at his feet, circumambulated three times, and departed.

At that time, the Blessed One assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus. Though he already knew, he nonetheless asked Kāḷudāyī:

"Is it true that you sat alone with Sujātā in a secluded, concealed place?"

Kāḷudāyī replied:

"It is true, Blessed One."

The Blessed One rebuked him with many and various means:

"What you have done is wrong, it is not proper conduct, it is not the way of a samaṇa, it is not pure practice, it is not fitting conduct—you have done what should not be done. How could you sit alone with Sujātā in a secluded, concealed place?"

Having rebuked Kāḷudāyī with many and various means, the Blessed One then said to the bhikkhus:

"Kāḷudāyī is a foolish person, a field for the proliferation of many defiled seeds, the first to commit this offence. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus based on ten reasons, and so forth, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu sits alone with a woman in a secluded and concealed place, a place that is screened off, a place suitable for sexual intercourse, and speaks improper words: if a faithful upāsikā declares one of three cases—either pārājika, saṅghādisesa, or pācittiya—and the bhikkhu who was sitting there himself acknowledges, "I have committed this offence," then he should be dealt with according to one of three cases: saṅghādisesa, pācittiya, or in accordance with the words of the faithful upāsikā. He should be dealt with according to the Dharma. This is called an undetermined rule.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENCE

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Woman: a woman of understanding who has not yet died.

Sitting alone: one bhikkhu, one woman.

Secluded and concealed place: there are two kinds. One is seclusion with respect to sight; the other is seclusion with respect to hearing. Seclusion with respect to sight is when one cannot be seen on account of dust, mist, or darkness. Seclusion with respect to hearing is a place where the sound of speech cannot ordinarily be heard.

Screened-off place: screened off by trees, a wall, a fence, cloth, or other such objects.

Place suitable for sexual intercourse: a place capable of accommodating the act of sexual intercourse.

Speaking improper words: that is, speaking about sexual matters.

Faithful upāsikā: one who has faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; who has taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; who does not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, or consume intoxicants; who remembers events well without confusion and speaks truthfully without falsehood.

If the bhikkhu himself declares the place he was heading to, declares the place he went to, declares that he was sitting, declares that he was lying down, and declares that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with according to the bhikkhu's own words.

If the bhikkhu declares the place he was heading to, declares the place he went to, declares that he was sitting, declares that he was lying down, but does not declare that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with in accordance with the words of the upāsikā.

If the bhikkhu declares the place he was heading to, declares the place he went to, declares that he was sitting, but does not declare that he was lying down and does not declare that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with in accordance with the words of the upāsikā.

If the bhikkhu declares the place he was heading to, declares the place he went to, but does not declare that he was sitting, does not declare that he was lying down, and does not declare that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with in accordance with the words of the upāsikā.

If the bhikkhu declares the place he was heading to, but does not declare the place he went to, does not declare that he was sitting, does not declare that he was lying down, and does not declare that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with in accordance with the words of the upāsikā.

If the bhikkhu does not declare the place he was heading to, does not declare the place he went to, does not declare that he was sitting, does not declare that he was lying down, and does not declare that he committed the act, then he should be dealt with in accordance with the words of the upāsikā.

In this case, no particular rule is determined; therefore it is called undetermined.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1 and 2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002